Ananya Panday says ‘every industry should have Hema Committee to fight sexual abuse’

Actor Ananya Panday underscored the importance of having a Hema Committee-like body in every film industry to fight sexual abuse against women in the film industry. Speaking at the India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit 2024 that took place in Bengaluru on Saturday, September 14, the 25-year-old actor said, “It’s very important for every industry to have a committee like the Hema Committee where women come together and start something like that. Clearly, no one else is doing it but women.”
The actor, who is being appreciated for her performance in the Prime Video series Call Me Bae, said women are doing a fabulous job by working together to form a body like the Hema Committee. She shared, “I feel there has definitely been some change. As you can see, people are at least talking about the problem. However, there is still a long, long way to go. There are still much bigger battles to fight.”
Ananya added that some production houses and filmmakers have started making changes in their processes and policies to ensure women’s safety on the sets. She shared, “I see that in our contracts today, there are certain helpline numbers, there are certain clauses that ensure the safety of women and I think that’s very important. Even our call sheets have helpline numbers. You can call and complain to them. Even if you want to complain anonymously. But, I don’t think this issue exists only in the film industry. It’s important we address this as quickly as possible.”
Ananya is one of the most reverred young actors in Bollywood today. She mentioned how she is aware of her power as an actor to influence people. The actor said she is mindful of speaking about the issues that matter. The popular star urged young actors to make their own choices but take a stand on important issues. “At least stand for something. That’s very important. Don’t talk about everything but choose something you feel strongly about. Like women’s safety is very important to me. I always speak about it. And it’s also important to do it right. It’s not just about speaking. One has to do something. Actions speak louder than words,” she elaborated.

While she’s busy promoting Call Me Bae currently, her next is with Akshay Kumar, a biopic titled Shankara. Ananya debuted in the industry in 2019 with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 2.